Electrical power distribution assembly

ABSTRACT

An electrical power distribution assembly having over and under contacts is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the electrical power distribution assembly utilizes stacked upper and lower contact decks, each having two independent electrical circuits to provide a four circuit plug-in distribution assembly. Using modular components, the distribution assembly can be configured to provide switched and unswitched outputs as well as switched taps for the electrical power circuits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to electrical power distributionassemblies in general and, more particularly, to an electrical powerdistribution assembly having over and under electrical contacts.

The use of modular, removable wall panels, lighting components and otherfixtures in offices and buildings is well known to those skilled in theart. Various plug-in assemblies, and cables have been suggested tominimize the amount of conventional hard wiring of electrical power,lighting and communication circuits in and between such wall panels,lighting components and fixtures.

It is a general objective of the present invention to provide animproved electrical power distribution assembly.

It is a specific objective of the invention to provide an electricalpower distribution assembly that utilizes modular components to obtain awide variety of circuit configurations.

It is another objective of the invention to provide maximum electricalcontact density within the assembly while maintaining circuit integrityfor a plurality of circuits.

It is a another feature of the invention that the electrical powerdistribution assembly maintains a given physical circuit contactlocation to provide a uniform system-wide circuit coding.

It is still another feature of the invention that the electrical powerdistribution assembly can accept an assembly of plug-in electricalconnectors having a common electrical contact orientation whilemaintaining electrical separation of the distributed power circuits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The electrical power distribution assembly has a generally planarelectrical contact deck and a plurality of electrical contacts mountedthereon in spaced relation on both the "upper" and "lower" surfaces ofthe deck. The electrical contacts wrap-around the edge of the deck fromthe upper surface to the lower surface and vice versa to provide "over"and "under" contacts.

A four circuit assembly is provided by assembling two electrical contactdecks in superimposed relation with two electrical circuits on eachdeck. In this "quad" version, the ground and neutral circuits are on onedeck, while the two power circuits are on the upper deck. Thisconfiguration is especially suited for power and lighting circuits inoffices and other locations having modular and/or movable walls andlighting fixtures.

The above-listed objectives and features and other objectives andfeatures of the invention will best be understood from a detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention selected forpurposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a three deck, six circuitversion of the electrical power distribution assembly of the presentinvention and the associated six contact plug;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of a two deck, four circuitversion of the electrical power distribution assembly of the presentinvention showing the two electrical contact decks, two contactspositioned on the lower deck and the split housing shells;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one configuration of the electrical contact;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another configuration of the electrical contactthat is electrically the same as the contact shown in FIG. 3, butmechanically formed by folding two arms of the "H"-shaped stampedcontact;

FIG. 5 illustrates in plan view an asymmetrical length "L"-shapedelectrical contact;

FIG. 6 depicts a three arm electrical contact in plan view;

FIG. 7A illustrates in plan view the upper and lower electrical contactson one of the contact decks;

FIG. 7B illustrates diagrammatically the circuitry of the FIG. 7Acontacts;

FIG. 7C illustrates in plan view the upper and lower contacts on theother of the contact decks;

FIGS. 8A through 17A depict in plan view other configurations of theupper deck electrical contacts;

FIGS. 8B through 17B depict diagrammatically the electrical circuitry ofthe corresponding electrical contacts shown in FIGS. 8A through 17A;

FIGS. 18A through 22A illustrate in plan view various housingconfigurations for the electrical power distribution assembly;

FIGS. 18B through 22B depict the corresponding electrical contact decksfor use with the housings shown in FIGS. 18A through 22A;

FIGS. 21C and 22C illustrate the electrical contacts for use in thecontact decks of FIGS. 21B and 22B, respectively.

FIG. 23 illustrates in perspective view a snap fastening cap forcovering one of the output contact assemblies shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 24 illustrates diagrammatically a four circuit, ("Red", "Black","White" neutral and "Green" ground) cable assembly with the "red" and"black" circuits reversed; and,

FIGS. 25 through 31 depict other cable configurations with the Whiteneutral and Green ground circuits omitted for purposes of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof,there is shown an electrical power distribution assembly constructed inaccordance with the present invention and indicated generally by thereference numeral 10. The term "electrical power" as used therein refersto AC and DC and includes communication circuits with modulatedcarriers.

The major components of the electrical power distribution assembly 10comprise one or more electrical contact decks 12 having generally planarupper and lower surfaces 14 and 16, respectively, and a peripheral edge18. The upper surface has a plurality of ribs 20 that define at leasttwo electrical contact channels 22 and 24 which extend from oneperipheral edge location to at least one other peripheral edge location.Corresponding ribs 26 on the lower surface define congruent contactchannels 28 and 30 which extend from one peripheral edge location to atleast another location on the peripheral edge.

Each deck has one or more electrical contacts 32 positioned within thedeck contact channels as shown in FIG. 2. The configuration of the FIG.2 electrical contacts is illustrated in FIG. 3 and 4. Both Figuresdepict electrically identical contacts. The FIG. 3 contact is formed bystamping or cutting the contact from a sheet of electrically conductivematerial. This method of fabrication is wasteful of material. FIG. 4shows a more economic way of producing the contact 32 by folding twoarms 32a and 32b of an "H"-shaped contact.

Looking back at FIG. 2, it can be seen that each contact has a portion32c that is folded around the peripheral edge of the deck and into thecorresponding congruent contact channel. As viewed in FIG. 2, the lowersurface contact is folded upwardly into the upper surface channel 20while the upper surface contact is folded downwardly into the lowersurface channel 30. This arrangement produces an over/underconfiguration for adjacent electrical contacts with the contactsvertically spaced apart.

Each deck has a plurality of upwardly extending spacers 33 that maintainthe decks in spaced electrically separate, relationship when the decksare stacked together as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 illustrates athree deck, six input circuit arrangement while FIG. 2 illustrates a twodeck, four input circuit configuration. The decks are formed, preferablyby molding, from an electrically insulating material. Thermosettable orthermoplastic materials can be used as desired.

The deck or decks 12 are assembled in superimposed relation withidentical housing shells 34 having rivet holes 35. The resultingassembly is secured together by suitable means such as by rivets 36. Theassembled electrical power distribution assembly 10 can be plugged intoa corresponding cable assembly indicated generally by the referencenumeral 38 in FIG. 1. By way of illustration only, the cable assembly 38terminates in a plurality of electrical connectors 40 of the typedescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,218,599 and 3,259,870.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate (together with FIGS. 3 and 4) electricalcontacts that are employed to achieve the circuit variations shown inFIGS. 7 through 17. These Figures depict three and four circuitarrangements, using a pair of contact decks as shown in FIG. 2. The"upper" deck shown in plan view in FIGS. 7A through 17A contains the"power circuits," while the lower deck shown once in FIG. 7C containsthe "ground" and "neutral" circuits. For ease of description, the twopower circuits have been identified in the Figures as the "Red" and"Black" circuits 40 and 42. The ground and neutral circuits 44 and 46,respectively, are depicted only in FIG. 7C. However, these circuits onthe "lower" contact deck are repeated for each of the circuitconfigurations shown in FIGS. 8A through 17A. It should be understoodthat the terms "upper" and "lower" are used only by way of illustrationand both the decks and circuits can be reversed or the circuits can bevaried on the two decks.

Looking at FIGS. 7A and 7B, there is shown a threeway distribution oftwo circuits, "Red" and "Black" to three outputs. FIG. 7B illustratesdiagrammatically the circuit of the FIG. 7A electrical contacts. The"Black" and "Red" circuit contacts are either a FIG. 3 or 4 contact.

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a switched "Black" circuit and an unswitched"Red" circuit. The "Black" circuit employs a FIG. 6 contact while the"Red" circuit uses a FIG. 5 "L"-shaped contact. The "Black" circuit alsouses a symmetrical length "L"-shaped contact.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show switched "Black" and "Red" circuits using bothsymmetrical and asymmetrical "L"-shaped contacts.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show a switched "Red" circuit and an unswitched"Black" circuit. The "Red" circuit uses a FIG. 6 contact and asymmetrical "L"-shaped contact while the "Black" circuit uses bothsymmetrical and asymmetrical "L"-shaped contact. Compare this circuitwith the FIG. 8A-8B circuit.

FIGS. 11A-11B and 12A-12B depict, respectively, "Black" only twoswitched circuit outputs and "Red" only two switched circuit outputs. Ineach case, a FIG. 6 contact (flipped over) is used together with an asymmetrical "L"-shaped contact.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show a circuit configuration that provides a "Red" and"Black" output, a single "Red" output and a single "Black" output. The"Black" circuit uses a FIG. 6 contact while the "Red" circuit uses aflipped over FIG. 6 contact.

FIGS. 14A-14B and 15A-15B show, respectively, an arrangement for two"Red" and "Black" outputs and a single "Red" output (FIGS. 14A-14B) andtwo "Red" and "Black" outputs and a single "Black" output (FIGS.15A-15B). FIG. 14A uses a "Black" FIG. 6 contact and a "Red" FIG. 3 or 4contact. FIG. 15A employs a flipped over FIG. 6 contact for "Red" and aFIG. 3 or 4 contact for "Black".

FIGS. 16A-16b and 17A-17B illustrate, respectively, an all "Black" or anall "Red" circuit using either the FIG. 3 or FIG. 4 contact.

FIGS. 18A through 22A depict in plan view the housing shellconfigurations for: a single input and three outputs (FIG. 18A); oneinput and two outputs and a blank station (FIG. 19A); one input, oneoutput and two blank stations (FIG. 20A); an equi-angular "Y" shaped,one input and two outputs (FIG. 21A) and the variation on the "Y" shape(FIG. 22A). The electrical connector decks for the FIG. 18A-22A housingsare depicted in plan view in FIGS. 18B through 22B. The "Y"-shapedelectrical contacts for the FIGS. 21 and 22 configurations are shown inFIGS. 21C and 22C, respectively.

Although the use of blank stations is desirable, as shown in FIGS. 19Aand 20A, this requires special housings. One can more easily cap off oneof the stations on the quad housings of FIG. 18A by using a flexible,snap-on insulating cap 48 as shown in perspective view in FIG. 23.

It has already been mentioned that the electrical power distributionassembly 10 can be part of a physically coded power distribution system.Referring back to FIG. 7 through 17, it can be seen that the "Red"circuit is always on the right-hand side when looking into the powerinput of the assembly and when looking into the power output of theassembly (excluding outputs to switches). In order to maintain thiscoding from one distribution assembly to another, a reversing cable 50shown diagrammatically in FIG. 24 is used. This cable reverses thephysical positions of the "Red" and "Black" circuits. The corresponding"White" neutral and "Green" ground circuit physical positions are alsoreversed.

FIGS. 25 and 26 illustrate straight "Black" and "Red" circuit pairs foruse in switching circuits. FIGS. 27 and 28 show single circuit "Red" and"Black" cables with physical reversal. The neutral and ground circuitshave been omitted from FIGS. 25-28 for purposes of clarity.

FIGS. 29-31 illustrate a single "Red" cable, a single "Black" cable anda dual cable for direct connection to a power consuming device; e.g., alighting fixture. Again, the neutral and ground circuits have beenomitted for purposes of clarity.

Having described in detail a preferred embodiment of our invention, itwill now be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousmodifications can be made therein without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the following claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:
 1. An electrical power distribution assembly comprising:(1) aelectrically insulating, electrical contact deck means having:(a) firstand second, spaced generally planar surfaces; (b) means defining aperipheral edge between said surfaces; (c) means defining at least twoelectrical contact channels in the first surface and at least twocongruent electrical contact channels in the second surface, saidcontact channels each extending from one location on the peripheral edgeto at least one other location on the peripheral edge; (2) a firstelectrical contact positioned within one of said contact channels in thefirst surface and extending between said one peripheral edge locationand the other location, said electrical contact having a portion thereofextending around the peripheral edge of the .[.first.]. .Iadd.electricalcontact .Iaddend.deck means at each location and into the congruentchannel in the second surface along a portion thereof; and, (3) a secondelectrical contact positioned within the second surface channel that iscongruent to the other of said first surface contact channels, saidsecond electrical contact extending between said one peripheral edgelocation and the other location and having a portion thereof extendingaround the peripheral edge of the deck means at each location and intosaid other first surface channel along only a portion thereof.
 2. Anelectrical power distribution assembly comprising:(1) a firstelectrically insulating, electrical contact deck means having:(a) firstand second, spaced generally planar surfaces; (b) means defining aperipheral edge between said surfaces; (c) means defining at least twoelectrical contact channels in the first surface and at least twocongruent electrical contact channels in the second surface, saidcontact channels each extending from one location on the peripheral edgeto at least one other location on the peripheral edge; (d) a firstelectrical contact positioned within one of said contact channels in thefirst surface and extending between said one peripheral edge locationand the other location, said electrical contact having a portion thereofextending around the peripheral edge of the first deck means at eachlocation and into the congruent channel in the second surface along onlya portion thereof; (e) a second electrical contact positioned within thesecond surface channel that is congruent to the other of said firstsurface contact channels, said second electrical contact extendingbetween said one peripheral edge location and the other location andhaving a portion thereof extending around the peripheral edge of thedeck means at each location and into said other first surface channelalong only a portion thereof. (2) a second electrically insulating,electrical contact deck means having:(a) first and second, spacedgenerally planar surfaces; (b) means defining a peripheral edge betweensaid surfaces; (c) means defining at least two electrical contactchannels in the first surface and at least two congruent electricalcontact channels in the second surface, said contact channels eachextending from one location on the peripheral edge to at least one otherlocation on the peripheral edge; (d) a first electrical contactpositioned within one of said contact channels in the first surface andextending between said one peripheral edge location and the otherlocation, said electrical contact having a portion thereof extendingaround the peripheral edge of the second deck means at each location andinto the congruent channel in the second surface along only a portionthereof; and; (3) means for securing said first and second deck means insuperimposed relation with the first deck means contact channels beingcongruent to the second deck means contact channels. .Iadd.
 3. Anelectrical power distribution assembly comprising: (1) an electricallyinsulating, electrical contact deck means having:(a) first and second,spaced generally planar surfaces; (b) means defining an edge betweensaid surfaces; (c) means defining at least two electrical contactchannels in the first surface and at least two congruent electricalcontact channels in the second surface, said contact channels eachextending from one location on the edge to at least one other locationon the edge; (2) a first electrical contact positioned within one ofsaid contact channels in the first surface and extending between saidone edge location and the other location, said electrical contact havinga portion thereof extending around the edge of the first deck means ateach location and into the congruent channel in the second surface alonga portion thereof; and, (3) a second electrical contact positionedwithin the second surface channel that is congruent to the other of saidfirst surface contact channels, said second electrical contact extendingbetween said one edge location and the other location and having aportion thereof extending around the edge of the deck means at eachlocation and into said other first surface channel along only a portionthereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 4. An electrical power distribution assemblycomprising: (1) a first electrically insulating, electrical contact deckmeans having:(a) first and second, spaced generally planar surfaces; (b)means defining an edge between said surfaces; (c) means defining atleast two electrical contact channels in the first surface and at leasttwo congruent electrical contact channels in the second surface, saidcontact channels each extending from one location on the edge to atleast one other location on the edge; (d) a first electrical contactpositioned within one of said contact channels in the first surface andextending between said one edge location and the other location, saidelectrical contact having a portion thereof extending around the edge ofthe first deck means at each location and into the congruent channel inthe second surface along only a portion thereof; (e) a second electricalcontact positioned within the second surface channel that is congruentto the other of said first surface contact channels, said secondelectrical contact extending between said one edge location and theother location and having a portion thereof extending around the edge ofthe deck means at each location and into said other first surfacechannel along only a portion thereof; (2) a second electricallyinsulating, electrical contact deck means having:(a) first and second,spaced generally planar surfaces; (b) means defining an edge betweensaid surfaces; (c) means defining at least two electrical contactchannels in the first surface and at least two congruent electricalcontact channels in the second surface, said contact channels eachextending from one location on the edge to at least one other locationon the edge; (d) a first electrical contact positioned within one ofsaid contact channels in the first surface and extending between saidone edge location and the other location, said electrical contact havinga portion thereof extending around the edge of the second deck means ateach location and into the congruent channel in the second surface alongonly a portion thereof; and, (3) means for securing said first andsecond deck means in superimposed relation with the first deck meanscontact channels being congruent to the second deck means contactchannels. .Iaddend.